Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet set a date for his planned address to a joint meeting of the US Congress. Although there were reports suggesting that Netanyahu would speak to Congress on June 13, his office and congressional sources confirmed that no date has been finalized.
The confusion began when a reporter from Punchbowl News posted on X that Netanyahu would address Congress on June 13. This date was later reported by Politico and Bloomberg, both citing unnamed sources. However, Netanyahu’s office clarified that the speech would not happen on June 13 because of a Jewish holiday.
If Netanyahu addresses Congress, it would be a significant event. He has already spoken to joint meetings of Congress three times, most recently in 2015. Another address would make him the first foreign leader to speak to Congress four times, breaking his current tie with Winston Churchill, who also addressed Congress three times.
The timing of the potential speech is notable because US President Joe Biden is expected to be in Italy for a G7 leaders’ summit from June 13 to 15. This context is important because the US and Israel share a close relationship, with the US providing billions of dollars in aid to Israel.
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The backdrop to these events includes the Gaza war, which started after a Hamas-led attack on October 7 that killed around 1,200 people according to Israeli sources. In response, Israel has attacked Gaza, resulting in more than 36,280 Palestinian deaths according to Palestinian health authorities.
Biden’s strong support for Israel in this conflict has created political challenges for him, especially among young Democrats. This is a critical issue as Biden runs for re-election this year.
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